Green Eyed Monster
by brooklynrhyno
Summary: The Reaper War is over. The galaxy is unified through Synthesis, and organics and synthetics are preparing for the next stage of history. Now a new threat looms from the darkness, and the legendary crew of the SSV Normandy must once again battle for the sake of the galaxy. Rated -T for now, may become M for some later violence and intimacy.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to my first fanfic. **

**I will say it loud and proud: I LOVE JACK!**

**Anyway, please read, review, rate and all that jazz. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and if you have something specific that you feel needs to be addressed, PM me and I will work on it. Fan Fiction isn't just for me, but for the rest of the fans as well!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or concepts from Bioware or Mass Effect. If I did, well, you know. **

**Check out some of my favorite authors and stories. They influenced me to write this story, and if I cribbed something from one of you, I apologize in advance. I only meant it in sincere flattery and admiration. Having said all this, let's begin.**

Chapter One

5 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE END OF THE REAPER WAR . . .

Pain.

That's all that existed. Every nerve ending was on fire, constantly burning. There was no up or down to move against to try and end the pain. There was no end in sight. No cycle to count and look forward to the ending of.

"Cycle". Thinking about that word would have caused enormous laughter if there were an opportunity to do so.

Still, in the constant state of agony, there was one thought, one light that seemed to make it bearable. The lie that had been sold was made palatable by one thing. A number that was defined by the exact opposite of what it meant . . .

. . . .Zero.

* * *

It was the eyes.

That was the one thing that never ceased to freak her out. Now there were things she had seen that would make most of the marines she fought next to crap their shorts, but this was different. She was different. It was just one more thing in a long list of changes that had come into her life in the last year or so. She barely tolerated those changes, but considering the catalyst for that change had come and gone, she wasn't sure she wanted to stay that way.

Glowing in the dark? That was just damned annoying.

"Ms. Jack?"

She turned away from the mirror. "What is it, Rodriguez?"

The bathroom door slid open and the young girl peeked her head through, the same kelly-green glowing eyes looking at her. Jack felt a chill beginning at the base of her spine, but she shook it off.

"There's something on the vids you should see, ma'am."

Jack sighed and rubbed her hand over her face. "Now what?"

She moved through the door and it slid closed behind her. She was wearing her fatigue pants and a tube top, replacing the white top of bands she normally wore. London was still a wasteland after the war, and unfortunately the shops were in no condition to be visited. She refused to keep her ink hidden, even around her kids, but walking around nearly nude wasn't an option. After all, this wasn't –

"The _Normandy_?"

Her mouth fell open at the sight on the vidscreen. Rodriguez and the rest of her students were gathered around on various couches and chairs in the apartment they commandeered. A cheer rose from the kids as the broadcast from the ANN played on the screen.

Jack felt a lump in her throat and quickly strangled it into submission. Seeing the ship that _he_ commanded, recruited her in, found her, healed her, saved her, returning to Earth was a welcome sight. She knew he wasn't on it, but seeing the profile of the frigate automatically triggered memories of her hidey-hole. The one place on the ship she felt safe and in control. Until the night they traveled to the Omega-4 relay. That night, she found something better than control in his arms, his bed: safety.

"This is Diana Allers reporting for Battlespace from the CIC of the SSV Normandy."

The camera drone panned back from the close up of the Normandy's in-field news reporter. Showing in the background of the CIC, crewmembers scurried about making final preparations for landing.

Cat calls came from many of the male students as the camera moved from Allers, in her ever present black and white leather dress, to a medium shot of a soldier in blue armor, jet black hair and puffy lips as she gave out commands from the dais of the CIC. Lt Commander Ashley Williams, sole survivor of the 212 on Eden Prime, and (thankfully) ex-lover of one Commander Keith Shepard.

_Humph_, Jack smirked. _Looks like the soldier chicks finally in charge_. Ashley looked at the camera drone and gave it a scowl before returning to the rest of the crew.

"After 5 months of traveling though the Reaper repaired mass relays, the flagship of the SWORD operation has come home. We will be landing at the new Forward Operations Base set up near the site of the Transit Beam used by the Reapers to travel to the Citadel."

Langley popped up off of the couch and looked to his teacher.

"Ms. Jack," he said, "we're gonna go, right? I mean it is the _Normandy_ after all!"

Jack looked at him with narrowed eyes. The green glow from the newly infused cybernetics in his eyes seemed to glow brighter the more excited he got.

"What the f- heck for?" she spat. "They were off making the Death Star Run while we were on the ground smashing heads and taking names!" She paused for a bit, since lying to herself seemed to take a great deal of effort. She wanted to get to the ship, get to his cabin, and find something, _anything_ that would smell like him. She hated herself for that neediness, that raw hunger for something like that. Still, she wouldn't let her kids know that. They were awesome in their own right, but they still hadn't earned that level of access to her feelings.

Smithers raised his hand. The glasses he wore were more for cosmetic purposes now, and he looked like a bug-eyed mutant with his glowing eyes.

"Ma'am? What's a 'Death Star'?"

The rest of the kids looked from Smithers to Jack expectantly. _No culture in these kids, I swear_, she thought. Granted, Keith had to educate her to the glories of the Trilogy himself, but she wasn't about to let them know that.

"Good grief, would you look it up?" she huffed. "You're students: go learn something."

She turned back to the vid screen and saw the Normandy, that sweet, beautiful ship, dock near the London transit hub. Allers' voice was still droning on about how valiant and wonderful the crew of the now legendary ship was and goaded the viewers into speculating what would be next for the group. That ache, like a kid wanting to get back home before their parents realized they were missing, started up again. _Screw it_, she thought, _this is only gonna drive me crazy in the long run_.

"All right maggots," she shouted, "get your sh-tuff and get ready to roll." The kids all cheered and scattered to the various spots they picked to camp out at in the apartment. Jack noticed that Langley and Rodriguez moved to the same area. _I knew it;_ she smirked to herself, _Good for them. Never know when the person you love is never coming back._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The last Prothean sat cross-legged on the floor of his quarters on the Engineering Deck. He still felt the residual power and fury of the tank-bred Krogan that occupied the room during the "Suicide Mission" to stop the Collectors. He often wondered if they merely referred to it as a suicide mission to grant a psychological edge to the team Shepard had gathered. That thought was replaced immediately by the truth: it _was_ folly to send such a small team against the Collectors. Even during his own cycle, when the Collectors were only a generation or two removed from being actual Protheans, they were a force to be reckoned with.

Yet Shepard, this ape descendant primitive, managed to collect a group of warriors (he had to refer to them as such), and make the unthinkable, the impossible, seem like a walk in the park. He hated the man for that, yet he could not help but envy and admire him as well. He pushed, prodded, threatened, negotiated, placated anyone and everyone who could help to stop the Reapers and construct the Crucible. He breathed deeply and thought about the man he appointed as this cycles Avatar of Hope.

Spirits, he hated him. Sort of.

He sensed her before she opened the door to his quarters. Only Shepard ever had the audacity to enter without knocking first, but she had become an exception. He opened his four eyes, looking up from his meditations to see his visitor.

"Hello, Prothean." Liara breathed, a smile playing on her lips. A slight purplish blush was creeping up her blue skin as she advanced on Javik.

He met her smile with his own. "Hello, Asari." he laughed. He rose from the floor, drawing to his full height. He stood a head or so taller than Liara, and looking down at her as she stepped into his outstretched arms, she looked small and delicately helpless. He knew better, having seen her in combat on numerous occasions since his resurrection. Still, wrapping his arms around her and her around him, he enjoyed that small illusion from time to time.

Liara smiled to herself as she breathed him in. She had fallen for this warrior, this throwback to a long forgotten, and apparently misunderstood age. Her first feelings of fascination and near idolatry were replaced by frustration, then anger, and then sorrow. As the _Normandy_ made its way back to Earth after the Crucible was fired, and their bodies were rewritten on a genetic level to include synthetic DNA, the rage Javik felt was tempered by the only one who dared look him in the face and tell him about himself. Liara's determination to not see the Commander's sacrifice sullied by an ungrateful Prothean turned Javik's contempt and haughtiness to humility and affection.

They hadn't dared say that they had come to love one another, but their affection towards each other was plain for all to see. They came to compliment each other: his hard to her soft, her compassion to his pragmatism. Now, as they came to the end of one part of their journey, they knew decisions had to be made.

Liara pulled back slightly and looked up at Javik. "We'll be completing the docking procedures soon.", she said.

"I know. The AI EDI informed me once we entered orbit."

Liara smirked at him. "Still labeling people, Prothean?"

What passed for a look of shock plastered itself on Javiks face. "Labels? I am merely stating a fact, _Asari_!", he smiled at her. "Despite its - _her_ recent transformation and emotional developments, she is still an AI, yes?"

Liara rolled her eyes. "I suppose you're right. Still, we are going to be dealing with more people now that the war is over. Maybe it would do you some good to not be so…. blunt?"

Javik mimicked her eye rolling, which looked really weird with four eyes doing it at once. "Fine," he sighed, "I suppose I can be…nicer to the primitives. I mean, other sentient races."

Liara smacked his chest lightly. "Good. That will be a start."

"Pardon me," EDI's voice came over the speaker in the wall, "Joker will be docking soon and the crew is assembling in the CIC to begin disembarking through the main airlock for the press corp."

"Press corp.?" Javik asked. "Isn't that reporter woman enough of a trouble? In my cycle, we would have – "

"- Thrown her out of an airlock?" Liara finished.

Javik grunted. "Humph. Perhaps there is hope for you yet, Doctor."

Liara laughed and grabbed Javik by the hand, leading him out of his quarters to the lift. "Come on, Javik. Let's get this over with."

"As you wish, Liara."

* * *

Before Jack made the lobby of the building her Biotic Brigade was staying at, Steve Cortez called her on her Omni tool offering a ride to the newly christened Shepard Memorial Transit Hub. Never one to turn down a free ride, they rendezvoused on the street below and climbed into the waiting Kodiak.

As Jack and her students rode in the shuttle, they were all buzzing with excitement. The last time they had seen the crew of the _Normandy_ was right after the Cerberus assault on Grissom Academy. Jack hadn't seen anyone besides Shepard since the party at his apartment on the Citadel. She wasn't particularly close to anyone from his recent crew compliment, but she did look forward to seeing Garrus and Tali at least. They were the most tolerable out of the group from the Suicide Mission. Mainly since they were the only ones that knew Shepard from before he died. The first time, anyway.

"Going up front.", she told them and made her way to the cockpit. "Too early in the morning to be so loud."

"Sorry!", they all yelled in unison. She snapped her head around and glowered at them as they burst into laughter. Her usually fierce look amplified by the green glow of her cybernetics. Smithers actually looked like he might wet his pants as the rest of the group settled down. _Still got it_, she thought and turned to close the partition between the cockpit and the cabin.

She settled into the co-pilot seat and threw her feet up on the console in front of her. Cortez cast a sideways glance at her and smirked. "Comfy?", he asked. "Guess so.", she grunted. She didn't know this guy, but from the little interaction they had at the party, he seemed okay. And Shepard seemed to be pleased to have him on the crew, so he must be okay. Then again, he recruited her, so there was no accounting for him having any common sense.

Still, it nagged at her, so she had to get it off her chest. "Why?", she asked.

Cortez looked back at her. "'Why' what?"

She looked at him, giving him the same glare she just gave her students. "Why do you care?", she asked.

Steve looked back at the controls as he navigated his way to the transit hub. "Hold on," he said, "Reaper at one o'clock."

There ahead of the shuttle, a destroyer-class reaper was making its way down the street. It was carrying materials for the construction site nearby. It was a disconcerting thing to behold, the massive AI juggernauts actually helping to restore everything they had spent the last year or so destroying. The sunlight glinting off of the black armored hulls highlighted the green circuitry that wove itself through the machines now. Since the Crucible was used, the Reapers no longer had the imperative programming to harvest organic life, but now sought to coexist with it. They began using the vast stores of knowledge they had stolen from the billions of civilizations to help restore the galaxy, repairing the mass relays, as well as the infrastructures of the planets they attacked.

"Never gonna get used to that.", Steve whispered. "Don't know how anyone else feels about it, but I bet there's not a lot of people out there that feel comfortable having Reapers strolling along like the Keepers did in the Citadel."

Jack went back to staring at him. "Well?"

"Sorry," Steve answered. "Well it's kind of like…"

"Spit it out!" she growled, her biotics beginning to flare. In the confines of the cockpit, it would be a very short flight if she hit him with a shockwave, but she was getting close to not caring.

"Okay, okay! Throttle back, girl!" Steve said. "I just didn't know how sensitive you would be, but I guess that doesn't matter." He took a breath and placed the shuttle on autopilot. "We'll be there in a bit, so here's the short version."

Steve turned his chair towards Jack and leaned forward. "Shepard saved my life. Literally, yes, with this last battle, but also before that. I was in a bad place, lost someone I cared about. He made me see that holding on to the loss, the pain, was killing me. While it wasn't affecting my work, I was going on as if I had nothing to live for. He made me see the light at the end of the darkness. I got on living, and never looked back."

Jack looked at him, waiting for the punch line. "So? What does that have to do with me?"

Steve smiled. "Because whether you realize it or not, you're _still_ his girl. He made that very clear even before I met you at the party. So, since his safety was my priority on missions, you're my new priority here. At least until you decide if you're going back to Grissom Academy or not."

Jack looked at him as if he had grown a horn out of his head. "What the fu-heck makes you think I need someone to babysit me? And who said I'm anyone's girl?"

Steve smiled and turned back to the controls. "That, right there? If you didn't care, you wouldn't bother being so mad. But hey, who am I to argue with the Psychotic Biotic, right?" He took manual control of the shuttle again as he prepared to descend to the landing pad at the transit hub.

Jack turned in her seat, pouting a bit as she mulled over what he had said. …HE _made that very clear_ _before I met you at the party…my new priority…._

"Hey, I mean it." Steve said as the shuttle touched down. "Everyone on the _Normandy_ while it was under Commander Shepard is, for better or worse, family. You're like a den mother to those kids back there, and Shepard was the big brother none of us got to have before. Make no mistake, Jack; he loved you. So, I guess I love you too."

Jack smirked at him as she got up to check on her kids. "Changing teams on my account, flyboy?" she asked. Steve laughed and waved his hands. "Even if I was to do that, you're still too much woman for me, Jack!"

"Yeah, " she smiled back. "and don't you forget it." She stopped, turned around and kissed him on the cheek. Holding her head to his she whispered, "Thank you. Really."

"Anytime, Ms. Jack. Anytime."


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey there in Mass Effect Land!_

_Thank you for the follows and views! Be sure to follow/favorite for updates and to soothe my ego. I like knowing someone out there appreciates the work. Again, feel free to review, critique and share your thoughts. I feed off of the psychic energies of your correspondence! _

* * *

**Chapter 3**

With a mild shudder, the _Normandy_ docked at Shepard Memorial Transit Hub. The Reapers having assisted the Geth in repairing the Citadel, the media speculated that the _Normandy_ would make its return to the Sol system there first before being dry-docked on Earth for extensive repairs. Since Earth was where Commander Shepard was born, and the _Normandy_ was his ship, Admiral Hackett thought the ship should at least make an appearance on Earth first.

Ashley Williams looked around the CIC. Traynor was at her usual communications station finalizing instructions with the techs on the ground and forwarding reassignments for the various Alliance personnel. Specialists like Garrus, Tali and the others were obviously exempt from any Alliance regulations, but Hackett had requested a face to face debriefing once they got back to Earth. She didn't share Shepards affinity for working with non-human crewmembers, but she kept her mouth shut and had in time come to deeply respect, if not actually like them. For instance, Tali had become like a little sister (in addition to the ones she already had.), and Garrus was like the big brother she never had. A big, avian, kill-you-at-a-thousand-yards-and-barely-flinch big brother, but she couldn't complain too much. He'd saved her hide enough times during this war to grant him enough good will to be a bit overbearing every so often.

She wondered if she had followed him after Horizon that they would have still survived the Collector Base mission. She wondered if she and Shepard would have found their way back to each other. There were so many nights after Horizon that she wept silently into her pillow at the thought of having lost, and then found the man she loved in such a manner. His resurrection at the hands of Cerberus left such a foul taste in her mouth that she wondered if she truly loved him as much as she thought she did in the first place. Was it truly possible to give up on someone you love the way she did?

Then the Alpha Relay incident happened. The Alliance protects its own, even if at the time he refused to be a part of the Alliance. She knew that the man she loved during the Saren mission would have done anything to protect the galaxy, but destroying an entire star system? She thought it was Cerberus' influence for certain. Yet, throughout the Reaper War, he went after Cerberus targets like a man possessed, much like he did during the hunt for Saren. He _had_ come back, but he was not hers.

It was completely irrelevant to her now. He was gone, Cerberus was gone, and the Reapers were acting as if organics were the best friends they always wanted. Her world had gone upside down, and she wanted a break. She couldn't wait to get off the ship. His ship.

"Docking clamps secure. Drive core powering down. All non-propulsion systems disengaged. We are docked and ready to disembark." Joker announced over the COM system. _Prayers are answered_, she thought.

"Commander?" Traynor called to her. "We're receiving a communication from Lt. Cortez. It seems that there is a former crew member who wishes to come aboard."

"We're getting ready to disembark and meet the media circus." She replied. "Who wants to come on? One of the Krogan?"

"Umm, no. He said it's the Biotic Brigade from Grissom Academy? Jack and her students." she responded. The hairs on the back of Ashley's neck stood on end. "The convict? Oh, hell no!"

"To be fair, she is a _former_ convict." Traynor defended. "She was pardoned once she began instructing at Grissom and I doubt that Commander Shepard would have recommended her for that position if she was a danger to the children or the Alliance."

"Well, Shepard's not in command here, I am." She snapped back a little too loudly. She looked up and saw that she was drawing stares from the crew. She turned towards the elevator and saw the last person she wanted to have hear her saying that: Garrus.

"There a problem, Williams?" He asked coldly. The green of his eyes seemed to burn into her as his mandibles flared in anger. He liked Ashley well enough, but he knew that she had a problem working with other non-human members of Shepards crew during the SR-1 mission to stop Saren. He didn't see much of a change in her narrow mindedness in the last few years. Despite everything that happened, she seemed to be only tolerating working with aliens better, but her trust issues were still legendary. Here and now, though, he wasn't about to cater to her insecurities just because Shepard was dead. As far as he was concerned, Jack was family and there wouldn't be any crap thrown her way now.

Ashley felt heat creeping up her neck, but she stood up at full attention, refusing to back down under the turians stare. "Jack doesn't have an Alliance commission, does she? Then she doesn't need to be on this ship. This isn't a museum or tourist attraction. It's a warship."

"A warship that is now in dry-dock and we're talking about the woman that Shepard was in love with." He snarled back. "Think about how we all felt the _first_ time he died. Don't you think she deserves some time to get some closure?"

At this point everyone was looking at Ashley. She was a SpecTRE, and the commanding officer of the Normandy; Her word needed to be law. Before she could conceive of a response, Garrus quickly stepped up close to her on the dais and whispered in her ear.

"What if it was you out there wanting to come aboard?"

He lightly gripped her arm to keep her from pulling away and kept whispering to her. He wanted to resolve this quickly, to avoid any more scrutiny from the crew.

"I don't know what your issue is with the woman, but she was, _is_, Shepards girl. I don't know how far things would have gone if he survived, but I know where they started and how far she's come as a person since she met him. You block her from this ship, and you'll wish Harbinger was the one knocking on the door instead of her."

Ashley was beginning to shake in Garrus' grip. She was furious at herself for the jealousy she allowed to cloud her judgment and compromise her position as the commanding officer of the ship. She could feel the crew staring at them. She could hear the whispers beginning to spread amongst them. She could lose all credibility in the next few moments, and that was not an option.

"Fine," she said through gritted teeth. "She comes aboard with escort."

"Cortez can stay with her, and the kids can hit the mess hall in the mean time." He stepped back, released his grip on her arm and placed his taloned hand on her shoulder in a more reassuring manner. "You need to talk about this, you come find me. But remember this: you and him were over before this. Don't let your unresolved guilt or jealousy make your decisions for you. That's not what the commander of the _Normandy_ does. That's not what his memory deserves."

Ashley nodded and kept her mouth closed as Garrus turned and walked through the CIC to the airlock. She looked around and the crew dispersed, not wanting to meet her gaze. She knew she had reacted poorly, and she had more important things to worry about now. "EDI?" she called.

"Yes, Commander Williams?" the reply came from the speakers. "Finalize disembark procedures and open the airlock. Let's get this over with."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

'Circus' was an understatement. It seemed like every surviving member of the media showed up to witness the return of the _Normandy_. Members from every sentient race in the galaxy, that is. There was even an elcor reporter who moved like the tank she was and was fortunate enough to tower over the rest of the crowd. The sheer number of reporters, civilians, and Alliance personnel, however, still threatened to turn this event into a catastrophe. Any more jostling and the giant would fall and crush at least six other people.

Admiral Hackett felt a severe migraine forming behind his eyes. His scarred, weathered face was stone still and betrayed none of what he was feeling inside. Within his chest his heart was beating as if he were still on the bridge of the SSV _Orizaba_ during the Sword Operation. When he saw the _Normandy_ break into the atmosphere and it began its final approach this morning, he was torn asunder knowing that Shepard was not on board, nor would he ever be again. He had followed the marine from the time his name hit the extranet after the failed batarian invasion of Elysium, through his N-School training and graduation as an N7 Operator, to his assignment on the SR-1 _Normandy _under then Captain Anderson's command. He knew that if Anderson had handpicked the young man to be on his crew, then even apart from his other accomplishments, he had accomplished enough to earn his respect.

Losing him over Alchera and assuming him to be dead for two years, only to find him alive and kicking when the Council refused to do anything for the colonists in the Terminus Systems was a weight off of his heart. Then the willingness to take the heat for the Alpha Relay and his tireless work during the Reaper War…. it was enough to make his chest burst with pride any time someone said the name "Commander Shepard". Now, with the monsters turned into allies (again, thanks to Shepard), he knew there was a great deal of work to do. First, he had to honor the man who saved the galaxy for the third time, as well as the crew who he forged into a team the likes of which would probably never be duplicated again. Although, that may not be the case for long, as he did receive a final letter of endorsement from Shepard for the young lieutenant who had been under his command. James Vega, already had N-School invitation on his file, but an actual field endorsement from the Lion of Elysium? He might make Major before he graduated.

At the airlock of the _Normandy_, a stage with a podium had been erected and several seats had been placed behind it. The flags of the Alliance, the Citadel Council, and other races were placed on either end of the stage. Camera drones floated in front of the stage, their lights shining bright enough to be nearly blinding. The airlock cycled open and the doors parted. Hackett turned to face the crew, standing with his hands behind his back. Again, he had to calm himself internally since he knew that Shepard would not be stepping off the ship this time.

Ashley was the first to step off of the ship, followed by the young mountain of a marine, James Vega. They saw Hackett and immediately stood at attention, saluting him sharply. The crowd that had gathered erupted in applause and cheers. Hackett smiled and returned the salute. "Welcome home, _Normandy_." He said.

"Good to be back, sir." Ashley and James replied in unison. They looked at each other and allowed themselves a small smile before moving to the side to allow the rest of the group to exit the ship. Hackett stepped forward and shook their hands warmly as Garrus and Tali stepped off of the ship.

The sniper snapped a salute for Hackett out of respect for his position, his turian military heritage demanding nothing less. Hackett returned the salute and then offered his hand to shake. "Mr. Vakarian, welcome back to Earth."

Garrus accepted the hand and flared his mandibles in an approximation of a smile. "Hopefully I can get to be a tourist instead of a target this time." He chuckled. Hackett smiled and shook his head. _Got Shepards humor too_, he thought. The cheers from the crowd continued as Tali, Liara, Javik and the rest of the crew all exited the ship, each taking a moment to acknowledge the admiral. Hackett was taken aback by the prothean, having only seen him in the reports and vids Shepard had sent during the war.

"Is something wrong, Admiral?' Javik asked, smiling slightly. "Have you never seen a prothean before?" Hackett cleared his throat. "Never in person, Mr. Javik. I apologize if I offended you in any way."

Javik reached forward and shook Hackett's hand. He closed his eyes and read some of Hacketts memories. Hackett had read about the tactile memory transfers in Shepards reports, but to experience it was a completely new sensation. It was not too unlike the asari melding process, but it was a much more informative than intimate experience.

Javik stepped back, smiling more broadly. "Now I know more of you. We can take time later so that I may further educate you in the ways of my people. This way it will be less shocking to see me in the future." Hackett shook his head slightly, gathering his wits. Hackett composed himself and grinned. "Thank you, Mr. Javik. That means a lot."

"The commander always spoke highly of you, even in light of the event of his incarceration." Javik said. "In my cycle, we –

"Come along, Javik." Liara sighed, grabbing her companions' arm and pushing him along. She smiled apologetically to Hackett and mouthed "Sorry!". Hackett smiled and nodded his understanding.

With the rest of the crew exiting, Joker and EDI were the last to leave. The crowd was still cheering and Joker stopped walking. He closed his eyes, held his hands in the air as if he were beckoning the praise of the crowd. "Please, please, you are all too kind!" he yelled over the crowd. EDI looked over at him and shook her head. "Jeff, you are grandstanding." He smiled at her and took her hand "Yes I am, EDI. Yes I am."

With the crew in their seats on the stage, Admiral Hackett stepped to the podium. He looked out at the crowd of all the survivors who wanted to see the crew return, the reporters and other soldiers who rejoiced at the safe return of the flagship of the war. He then looked behind him at the crew and took a deep breath. "Ready?" he asked them. "Hoorah, sir." Ashley replied.

Hackett turned back to the microphone and motioned for the crowd to quiet down.

"Thank you all for coming here today. I understand what a momentous occasion this is, and there are probably a million and one questions that the press corps have ready. Before we get to that, I would like to ask for a moment of silence for those who lost their lives during this war, including the man for whom this transit hub was renamed, Commander Keith Shepard."

At this, the entire crowd grew still and quiet. Even the Reapers who were working in the areas around the hub seemed to still their work at his request. Hackett raised his head and addressed the crowd again. "Commander Shepard was a fine marine, diplomat, and it seemed he was a conjurer of miracles on a daily basis. He would be the first to say that he was not the only soldier who would win this war, and he was right. He was, however, the face for the resistance against the Reapers, the face of the hope that burned in all of our hearts when times seemed dark. His legacy, along with those of the other countless soldiers who gave their lives will live on in our hearts and minds."

Hackett began to choke up, his breath starting to hitch in his chest. He regained his composure and continued. "We have yet to determine the 'whys' and 'wherefores' of the galaxy's transformation into these new synthetic hybrids we have all become, but we do know that our cease fire with the Reapers, while new and uncertain, was brought about because one man sacrificed his life to complete his mission. His drive, his singular focus, was the hope that tomorrow would come, that there was a future for us to survive for. My wish is that if we take away anything from this, it's that we can accomplish the impossible on a daily basis if we maintain our focus, surround ourselves with others who will refuse to quit, and above all, maintain hope. Hope that tomorrow will come, that it will be better, that we will get though whatever stands in our way. Let us, as a new galaxy, maintain the unity that was modeled in the crew of the _Normandy_, and know that whatever our new future holds, we can hold on to hope. "

Hackett paused and took a deep breath. "Thank you." He said, and the crowd erupted into applause again. He smiled tightly and turned to face the crew. They all stood at attention and saluted. He returned their salute and allowed them to return to their seats. As the crowd quieted, Hackett looked up at the reapers in the streets behind the gathered crowd. _They could turn and finish us here in one fell swoop,_ he thought and shuddered. _What did he do to get them to break off their desire to destroy us? _As if reading his thoughts, the reapers turned away from the crowds and went back to assisting the rebuilding efforts in the streets of London. Hackett figured that only time would tell if the reapers would remain allies or once again become the vanguards of their destruction.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey out there!_

_Here is another bit of storytelling. There's a little of the "M" rating, but I used the old comic book symbols for Jack's swearing. Although it is from flashbacks and prior to ME3, I want my lovely wife to be able to read it without cringing too much!_

_Again, please feel free to read and review! On with the show!_

**Chapter Five**

Crowds. She hated crowds. Someone always stepped on her foot, or bumped her, or did something that made her want to murder them. Now, she was responsible, she had to set an example. What a crock. Thankfully she had the shuttle ride courtesy of Steve Cortez so she could avoid all that crap at the press conference and not risk losing it in front of the kids.

Cortez landed the shuttle on an adjacent landing pad to the main dock for the Normandy, and Jack couldn't get off the thing fast enough. This was only the second time she had seen the ship and felt a sense of dread. The first was when Shepard, Garrus and Miranda had come to purchase her freedom from the prison formerly known as Purgatory. Seeing a ship dressed in Cerberus colors made her blood boil even more than the mechs and guards that stood in her way when she was awoken from the cryo-cell she was in. As she tore through the prison, all she wanted was her freedom, determined to never allow herself to be incarcerated again. Then, seeing that her only means of escape was a frigate with the emblem of the monsters that made her what she was threatened to snatch the wind from her sails instantly. Her frustration was tangible, and all she wanted was to destroy everything. If going with Cerberus was her only way off of the station alive, then suicide would be her final act of defiance.

A gunshot rang out, and then she turned and saw him. He shot a guard that was sneaking up on her blindside and she turned her venom on him. He didn't care. He wasn't scared. He seemed almost impressed by her. Her swearing at him and threatening him seemed to glide off of him like water off of a duck. He saw deeper, past the anger, the menace, the tattoos, the craziness she tried to use as a shield against the universe. He saw _her_, who she could be versus who she was trying to make everyone see her as. She would never forgive Shepard for making her a better person.

"Hey, just head up the shuttle bay ramp." Steve told her as she stood at the shuttle door. "I'm shutting down, then I'll head up with you and the kids. Garrus sent clearances and instructions on what to do once we get in there."

Jack turned to him. "What, I need an escort? Not like I'm gonna steal the thing." Steve laughed. "You sure about that?" Jack rolled her eyes at him and he laughed harder. "Go on, girl. Meet you inside."

Jack turned to the kids in the cabin. "Come on, ya snot nosed rugrats. Let's get in and get gone."

* * *

As Ashley stood at the podium, fielding question after question along with Admiral Hackett, EDI scanned the crowd. Her sensors had picked up some unusual readings from the shuttle that parked near the Normandy, but it turned out to only be Steve Cortez and the ambient power readings were from Jacks Biotic Brigade. Similar power readings came from groups of Asari Commandos whenever they were together in an enclosed space. She unlocked the _Normandy's_ security protocols as per Garrus and Ashley's request prior to the press conference. As Garrus had said to Ashley, she would rather deal with Harbinger than to forbid Jack access to the ship. Despite her prior threats to steal or destroy the ship, EDI knew that she posed no true threat to the ship or crew. She was puzzled, then, as to why Commander Williams would seek to refuse Jack access to the ship at any time. It was something that she filed away for discussion with Joker for after their scheduled debriefing.

Suddenly, EDI noticed a commotion up front. Garrus had leapt up to the podium and assisted Admiral Hackett in restraining Ashley from attacking someone near the front of the audience. Looking into the crowd, she saw the object of her ire: Khalisah Bint Sinan al-Jilani. Apparently, the end of the war did nothing to improve her objectivity, and Ashley was attempting to continue the tradition of _Normandy_ commanding officers by punching her in the face. EDI remembered that Shepard had much preferred to allow Emily Wong to interview him than al-Jilani, as she was more likely to cause him to assault her than answer her questions. This ability of hers to incite violence towards her was not limited to members of the _Normandy_, as she had seen in some of the Shadow Broker files Liara had made available to them when she took over.

"See? I told you this would be fun." Joker said to her. "Nothing like a good cat fight to liven up a press conference celebrating newfound galactic peace. Now all we need is a tub of jello and a scorecard girl."

EDI looked at Joker with a frown. "Jeff, I fail to see the significance of gelatin desserts in this situation, but – oh, wait." She tilted her head as she found a cross reference of jello and "cat fights" in her extranet search. She then looked at Joker with a very disapproving face. "Jeffrey Moreau. Are there no depths to your depravity?"

"Says my unshackled AI fembot girlfriend." He retorted, lacing his hands behind his head and smiling.

"Ugh", came Javiks reply. "While I accept that the AI EDI is now a hybrid entity, I still fail to see the logic in pursuing a romantic relationship with her. She will most definitely out live you, you can never have offspring of your own, and…."

Liara was glaring at him, and for the first time in this cycle and the last, he felt that would rather face Harbinger than that stare. "'You fail to see the logic'? Because of her extended longevity? You mean like a being that can live to be over a thousand years old? Or a being that can only produce offspring that appear exactly the same as the mother? Is that something _illogical_?"

Javik stammered, which is something he never did. "Liara, I meant to say, that is, in my cycle I –"

"Oh to hell with your cycle!" she yelled. She stood up, composed herself and moved to the other side of the stage to sit with Joker and EDI. Javik could only stare with his mouth flapping open and closed. He turned to Tali with a look of shock on his face.

"Don't look at me." Tali said folding her arms. "My name is Tali and that's up your alley."

* * *

She stood in front of the Captain's Cabin for what seemed like eternity. The door was unlocked, which she didn't expect, but she still didn't want to go in yet. She was so sure that this was what she wanted. Now, given the opportunity to actually go through with it she was shaking like a leaf. She hadn't been this scared since she was a kid at the Teltin facility and she had to kill her first opponent in the arena the guards set up. At least then, there were the drugs she was given afterwards to make the shaking stop and the warm fuzziness to cover her disgust. Now, there was only whatever she found in the cabin and the consequences that may come with it.

Jack stepped towards the door and it swooshed open, the dim glow from the now empty and broken fish tank along the far wall being the only light in the room. She never could get her head around the idea of the fish tank, but Shepard seemed to enjoy it once he was able to get the fish to stay alive in between missions. He said it allowed him to relax a little, seeing such simple creatures flitting along in the water with nothing to worry about except the next feeding of flakes and the gentle hum of the filtration system. He often hummed some little song about wishing he were a fish, something from an old movie Anderson made him watch. He loved old Earth movies and always enjoyed explaining the virtues of them to her when they had time alone.

The memory of her first visit to his cabin flooded her mind: The night before the Omega 4 mission. She didn't know what she was doing, only that when she put one foot in front of the other, she ended up in his cabin.

_He has his back to her, finalizing some report or another. He turns as he hears her enter the room; a confused, but happy face greets her. She can't catch her breath, and she doesn't know why the words come out of her mouth, but they do._

_"Shepard?"_

_He smiles that smile of his. "I wasn't expecting you, Jack"_

_She can barely look him in the face. There is so much that she wants to say, at the same time she wants to run. She decides that she won't be a coward about it any longer. _

_"I was thinking about you, and maybe you're right…that I need…" She falters, not knowing what words to continue with. Thankfully, he sees that and knows that there is no need for her to worry._

_"It's all right." He says. "No more questions."_

_She steps into his arms, the strength and comfort she never new she needed overwhelms her and she begins to weep. Her tears make her mascara run, black streaks of pent up sadness flowing out of her. As they lay on his bed holding each other, the mission never enters their minds. They are just two lost people who have found each other and the rest of the galaxy can wait for a while._

She sighed, breaking her reverie and stepped into the cabin. There was a noise on her right. She drew her carnifex pistol and almost put a hole in the wall where Captain Fluffy McSnugglepants was. Somehow, through everything, Shepards space hamster survived. His beady little eyes glowing green in the dimly lit room. Jack took a breath and holstered her side arm. Biggest, baddest Marine in the Alliance, and he kept a hamster for a pet. _"He's a great wingman, you know."_ Shepard once joked. _"I bet I can get more ladies to talk to me with him than if I bring Garrus along."_

Not wanting to risk damaging anything else in the room, Jack found the controls for the lights and switched them on. This revealed that the cabin was left as he had it before the final assault on Earth. As she stepped over a pile of BDUs he had not been able to get washed, she looked around, taking in everything. She found a black piece of fabric with a red and white stripe on it. She squatted down and picked it up, finding it to be Shepards favorite N7 hoodie. It was buried with some other clothes, and even though it had been months since he wore it last, she imagined it still smelled like him. She stood up and moved to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it and cradling the garment in her hands. She buried her face in it, breathing in the scent of the Lion of Elysium. She hated that nickname, preferring the one she called him on an almost constant basis.

_"'Dumb*$$?'" he asked her. "What's that for?"_

_She sat on the couch in his quarters and looked up from her omni-tool with a smirk. "What do you think?"_

_Shepard looked over at her quizzically. "What? For going on this mission for Hackett?"_

_Jack sat up and looked him square in the face. "Well, there is that. I mean, what the hell do you think you're doing going on a solo mission?"_

_Shepard looked at the data pad he was working with and sighed. "Jack, if he wants this to be a black-ops type of thing, then that's what has to happen."_

_She swung her feet onto the floor and stomped as she stood up, pacing back and forth like a bull. "That's bull$#*&! I can't believe you're not seeing the bigger picture! You're not even in the Army any more!"_

_"Marines, Jack." He corrected quietly. _

_"WHATEVER!" she shouted at him. "The point is that you don't owe him or the marines anything. They turned their back on you when you went to them for help, and you keep on playing gopher for them whenever they call!" _

_Shepard put the data pad down and looked at his lady. "Jack, you don't-"_

_"NO!" she turned and advanced on him, stopping when she got in front of him, nose to nose. "You don't get it! They are using you! Believe me; I know all about being used!" She accentuated each word with a finger jabbed in his chest. "They. Are. Using. You! It's all about plausible deniability at this point!"_

_Shepard looked up at her, taking her anger and frustration into account before answering. She may have been mellowing out these last few weeks, but that didn't mean that Subject Zero was completely gone yet._

_"Jennifer," He said slowly, deliberately using her birth name, "I'm still a SpecTRE, as the council reinstated my status, and I will _always_ be a marine, no matter what the Alliance says or does. The only reason Hackett didn't have us all thrown into a prison camp is because of me. He's the only reason that TIM is the only one hunting for us at this point, and not Cerberus along with a squad of N7 troops." He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them softly as she seemed to deflate a little. "I am doing this to protect us all. To protect _you_."_

_She scoffed at him and settled down onto his lap. "I don't need protection, Keith." She whispered. "I can take care of myself."_

_"Jack, I know that. But I want to make sure of this. If what Hackett says is true about this friend of his, it could go a long way to stopping the Reapers. Or are you saying you can take care of yourself against Harbinger and his crew?"_

_Jack buried her face in his neck, not wanting to answer him. He hugged her close and breathed in her scent, that mix of biotic ozone and sweat she always seemed to have. "I'll be back before you know it." He reassured her. "Besides, we just handed the Collector's their heads; what's the worse that can happen now?"_

"Then you blew up a friggin' relay, dummy." She whispered into the hoodie. She turned and lay on the bed, curling up on her side in the middle of the mattress, holding the hoodie close. She began to weep, hating herself for the tears. "Why?" said whispered, "Why did you do this to me? Who the hell told you to be a hero?" Her sobs began to wrack her body and she bawled into the mattress. Her biotics began to flare, blue flames skipping across her skin. She noticed, but didn't care. If she ignited the room, she would be glad. For the short time she spent with him in the cabin, there was so much good, so much healing that happened here because of Shepard that she would never get to experience again, and she never wanted to leave again. She knew she had to get herself together, because that's what _he_ would do. It's what her students needed and what Shepard would expect of her.

"I'm sorry, but you do not belong here."

Jack bounced off of the bed, drawing her sidearm again. Pointing the weapon at the door, she saw a silhouette of a woman. "Who the hell-"

EDI stepped down into the cabin, hands raised slightly to show that she was unarmed. "I'm sorry, Jack. I did not mean to startle you." Jack relaxed and put the gun on the bed. "EDI? What's the problem? I got Garrus' okay to come up and get some things I left last time and-"

"Jack," EDI interrupted, "You do not belong here. You belong outside at the press conference with the rest of the crew."

Jack looked at her as if she had two heads. "What? Why?"

EDI walked over to her, and sat on the bed. Jack wanted to snatch her up by her metal head and fling her out of the cabin. _What are you sitting on _his_ bed for?_ She wanted to scream. Then she remembered the look that Shepard would give her for wanting to react with immediate and permanent violence. She calmed down and waited for an explanation.

EDI seemed to be contemplating her answer. "Commander Shepard was an extraordinary man, Jack. He was able to bring out the best in those who were around him. The dossiers Cerberus complied on the crew he had to recruit only gave him a sketch of what was needed for what should have been his final mission. He uncovered what made everyone tick and used it to motivate you all to become a powerful force against the Collectors."

Jack sat down next to EDI and huffed. "So? We kicked their as – behinds. And?"

EDI smiled. "You are a part of his legacy. Thanks to him, we all have a future. I am alive, truly alive, and that's thanks to him. You were a very significant part of his life. Even before Jeff disengaged the shackles on my programming, I was monitoring his behavior when it came to you. He cared for you before the Omega 4 mission, and he continued to value you even after he was incarcerated. Therefore, as I cared for Shepard and the rest of the crew, I care for you. Simply put: You are family, Jack."

Jack gave a soft chuckle. "You're the second person to say that today." EDI took a breath and smiled broadly. "Then it must be true. Thank you, Jack."

"For what?"

"You said 'person'. You referred to me as a 'person', not 'fembot' or 'thing'. Thank you."

Jack smiled wistfully. "It's all Shepards fault", she said, beginning to cry again. "He liked making people better."

As the tears began to flow again, EDI altered her surface temperature to mimic warm human body temperature. Warming herself up, she reached over and took Jack into her arms to comfort her. Jack allowed her, letting herself cry harder than she had before. As EDI sat there with her, stroking her head, she began to cry herself. The more subtle parts of her infiltration programs taking over without her realizing it. This was something she would have to discuss with Jeff, but for now, she simply accepted it as a part of her newfound state of being.

"I miss him too, Jack." She whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

_I'm back!_

_Thanks for the faves and follows! Please send me reviews if you feel so inclined. Constructive Criticism is also very appreciated._

_Also, the first 10 PMs I receive can get themselves added as members of Jack's Biotic Brigade! Just send me your (or your character's) name and some descriptive info. I'll be highlighting them later in the story!_

_On with the show featuring characters from a game owned by Bioware that I have no ownership of._

* * *

It was cold. This was something that it had not felt in eons. Or was it "they"? As the First Reaper, Harbinger had forgotten how it was supposed to refer to itself. Some of the lesser races referred to it as "him", and since it simplified things, it did not argue. But since it was composed of the sum total of the harvested organic life forms from the First Harvest, it could be a "she", "he", or just "they". If it could breathe, it might have sighed at these thoughts. Being a giant robot cuttlefish-shaped dreadnought, it didn't need to breathe. Not that it would have been able to in space anyway.

The cold of space was refreshing, though. The cosmic winds skating across its hull, minute particles of cosmic dust and plasma jets bouncing on its skin. Its processing power was infinite, so millions of thoughts flashed through its mind in nanoseconds. The AI that worked with the human pest known as Shepard had a fraction of this power, yet she was able to do untold damage during the engagements against the Cerberus and Reaper fleets. She may prove to be useful in the future when it came to furthering relations between the Reapers and the lesser races. They seemed to trust her, even going so far as to include her in their daily activities as if she were a member of their family. If it were so inclined, it might feel jealous.

Despite being on equal footing genetically, Harbinger still thought the descriptions of "organic" and "Synthetic" as separate and unequal terms. It was the First Reaper and refused to allow itself to lose any of that regal standing. All other Reapers were made in its image, and they all obeyed its commands. Except for Sovereign. Idiocy, that's what that was. Thinking itself so superior to the lesser races, it enthralled a small pocket of artificial life forms and thought it could jumpstart the end of the cycle on its own. That the ape Shepard was the one who defeated it was surprising, but the defeat itself was not. There was a reason the Reapers began their harvests as a fully operational fleet, and not as a single vessel. Idiot. Again, if it could sigh, it would.

Harbinger adjusted its position, drawing closer to the Charon Relay at the edge of the Sol System. The steady swirling of the eezo powered rings causing flashes of light, while the thrumming of the powerful artifact pulsed in space, vibrating along the hull of the Reaper. Having been created by the Reapers themselves to facilitate the Harvests, Harbinger and its companions were able to repair them within weeks of the Crucible firing. Now, with the relays and Citadel back in working order, the organics could resume their lives. Lives with the Reapers as companions, rather than executioners. Harbinger adjusted its short-range subspace frequencies to monitor chatter between the Reapers on Earth and the ones in orbit. The organics seemed to be getting over their initial fears of dealing with the Destroyer-class vessels and the ground troops that were reprogrammed to help rather than harvest. It was an imperfect system, but it was only temporary. The husked life forms would eventually burn out and die, as they never meant to live more than a few months. Their domestication for the purpose of rebuilding the worlds they destroyed was solid, but the organics still had their hands on their weapons when they were around. This, in Harbinger's not so humble opinion, was a shrewd way of thinking.

It felt a pulse along subspace, something old, yet familiar. It focused on the pulse, refining its scan to determine the origin of the signal. The pulse faded, as if someone shut it off. The residual fluctuations in the wavelengths still echoing along the stars, Harbinger looked further, using the relay to amplify its scans. The signal faded past recognition, and it felt a sense of disappointment. It also felt a sense of dread. Nothing should have affected it this way, been able to reach into its processors and make its presence known the way that it did, but there was nothing to be done for it now. The good thing about being an immortal computer is that, barring physical destruction, it had all the time in the world to wait. Still, in the interest of continuing relations with the organics, Harbinger sent a message to the Alliance military compounds on Earth as well as notifying the Catalyst AI on the Citadel. It may have been a random fluctuation in subspace, but there was no harm in being cautious. Despite the terrifying might that was the Reaper Fleet, Harbinger knew there were still things between the stars that could bring harm to the galaxy.

Surprisingly, Harbinger did not have to wait for long. The Catalyst summoned its attention. Faster than light communication blazed back and forth between the Reaper and it's controller, a slight tremor of distress coming from the Catalyst. Harbinger had never thought it possible, for any of their number to feel anything resembling fear or trepidation for any reason. Yet, as it issued orders for five Capital ships to join Harbinger at the relay, the Catalyst seemed every bit the twelve-year old boy it appeared as when it spoke to Commander Shepard. It was a very worried twelve-year old boy. To say that Harbinger was . . ._troubled_, at this behavior would be an accurate statement. Even with the infusion of organic DNA patterns it shouldn't feel this way. Seeing as it was the First Reaper, it possessed the combined knowledge of trillions of sentient species. It knew on a clinical and logical level that there was nothing to fear if there was no evidence of a threat. How else were the Reapers able to gain a foothold in Council Space without resistance from any of the sentient species despite the warnings from Shepard and the Prothean beacons?

The Capital ships joined Harbingers position near the relay. Harbinger synchronized the other ships to its own navigation program, plotting the course that the Catalyst had ordered. As the ships approached the relay and the transit funnel began to form, Harbinger cast its thoughts back to Earth, and somewhere inside it wondered if it would see the planet ever again. The ships entered the funnel, mass effect cores reacting to the relay and were launched into the void.

* * *

Jack and EDI exited the elevator and entered the shuttle bay later that afternoon, where her Biotic Brigade was divided into two groups on opposite sides of the bay.

Between the two groups, suspended in the air by a biotic bubble, was Cortez, flapping his arms up and down like a bird. James was at his usual station, leaning on his weapons table with a bucket of popcorn that Joker was mooching off of when he wasn't looking. Jack made her way around to James and sat next to him. She was now wearing Shepards' hoodie instead of her leather jacket, which was on top of the bag she took from the cabin. It held several items that she had left there previously, along with some keepsakes she had determined that she was going to take. EDI held Captain McSnugglepants' cage and walked over to Joker.

"'Sup there, Ms. Jack?" James nodded at her. "Popcorn?" He offered her the bucket of popcorn, only now noticing how empty it was. He whipped his head around to Joker. "Hey, _pendejo_! How you gonna do that to me?" he yelled at Joker. Joker looked around the bay, feigning ignorance. "Yeah how you gonna do that? Wait, who did what now?" James tossed the empty bucket at Joker, who ducked it easily, laughing at him. Jack smirked at the two of them as James ran towards Joker, chasing him across the room. Thanks to the new synthetic DNA in his bone grafts, Joker was able to sprint away from James without fracturing his legs or even limping. It was the ease with which everyone seemed to find ways to distract themselves that made Jack chuckle to herself. EDI looked over to her inquisitively.

"Jack, what is so funny?" she asked. Jack looked back at her and smiled. "Nothin', just enjoying watching everyone having fun. Kinda reminds me of back when I was here before, going after the Collector base. Smacking Grunt around, Zaeed and Jacob having push-up contests…"

"If I recall, Ms. Goto was particularly fond of those contests." EDI said with a smile of her own. Jack chuckled. "Yeah, I'm surprised Kasumi was able to keep her clothes on half the time, the way she drooled over that Jacob."

EDI seemed to be lost in thought as she replied, "Yes, he was 'rather well put together', as Jeffrey would say." Jack looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Really, EDI?"

"I _am_ only human, Jack." EDI deadpanned. She then looked at her and said, "That was a joke." Jack laughed out loud at that and they went back to watching the kids bounce Steve back and forth in their biotic beach ball. He was laughing as the kids let him rebound off of the ceiling and then off of the top of the shuttle. The ball burst as it hit the ground, and Steve promptly fell on his rump, laughing up a storm.

"Whooo!" he yelled, "Best ride ever!"

"Admiral on deck!" came the call from Ashley. James, who had finally captured Joker in a bear hug, dropped him on the ground and snapped to attention. Everyone jumped to his or her feet. Admiral Hackett strode in from the elevator, flanked by two Alliance marines in dress uniforms. Their assault rifles were at the ready, but the safeties were on. Behind them were Ashley, Garrus, Tali, Liara and Javik, who themselves were followed by two more marines. All of the kids moved and lined up in formation, standing at attention. They weren't military, but they did learn to show respect to officers when they were present. This was a lesson that was taught, but not practiced, by their instructor. Jack stood up lazily, and moved to lean against a supply crate to see what all the fuss was about. Hackett looked over at her, noticing her lack of protocol, but dismissed it almost immediately. He simply clutched a package he had in his hand tighter and moved to the front of the assembled group.

"_Normandy_ crew present and accounted for, sir!" James called out, saluting the admiral. He returned the salute and smiled. "At ease, everyone. I think you've earned it." The kids broke rank and settled into more casual stances, while the Alliance soldiers simply stood at parade rest.

"I'll keep this brief, since we need to get this girl up to the Citadel for repairs and resupply. I have an assignment for you, and you also need to start getting some of your people back to their homes." The last he said while turning and looking at Garrus and the other aliens. For his part, Garrus didn't seem to mind the segregation, as he knew it meant getting to spend more time with Tali on the trip back to Rannoch.

"What's the assignment, sir?" James piped up, looking over at Ashley as he did so. She seemed to want to avoid looking anyone in the eye, rather finding something interesting to look at on the ceiling of the shuttle bay.

"First, we've gotten reports that Grissom Academy is back up and running, so we can get you kids squared away and back to learning how to save the galaxy in more efficient and stylish ways." Hackett started. The kids had a mixed reaction to this news, as they were enjoying the more relaxed atmosphere of not having formal lessons and learning in the field with Jack. Still, getting back to something they were familiar with wouldn't hurt either. "The repairs to the school are finished, and from what I've been told, it looks like Cerberus was never there." Hackett explained. Turning to Jack he said, "Ms. Sanders is especially looking forward to discussing some of your team's more, _colorful_, exploits during the war, Ms. Naught." he smiled.

Smithers chimed in at that. "Yeah, like the time we had to shore up the barriers, and Rodriguez broke the line and ran into that group of husks, and-"

"Stuff it, Smithers!" Jack said loudly, smiling at Hackett. "I don't think we need to discuss our, uh, extra curricular activities right now, okay?" Rodriguez snuck over to Smithers and slapped him in the back of the head, which had the nearby students chuckling. "Yeah, shut up, dummy!" she whispered. Hackett cleared his throat and got everyone's focus back to the discussion at hand.

"Once the children are delivered to the Academy, the _Normandy_ will rendezvous with the Turian fleet. We have an envoy from the Hierarchy that wishes to journey to Rannoch and meet with the Admiralty board there. I'm sure we can accommodate him, yes?"

"Absolutely, sir." Ashley spoke up, still avoiding looking at anyone. Jack found it weird that she was behaving this way. Was she in trouble, or was there some crappy news about to be shared and she didn't want to be around when it got out? From what Shepard had told her about Ashley, and what she got from Garrus and Tali, she wasn't one to be shy about much.

"Good. Now for some other business." Hackett turned around and faced Ashley. "Commander Ashley Williams, you are hereby formally assigned command of the Alliance Vessel _SSV Normandy_, her crew and operations. This change is to be reflected in your record and all Alliance archives. You will have to choose a new XO, and I trust you will make the same solid decisions that led you to this point in your career." He extended his hand and Ashley met it with her own, shaking it vigorously. "Congratulations, Commander."

So that's what it was. "What the happy fu-" Jack whispered loudly. Hackett didn't seem to hear her, but Garrus did. He shot her a look that said, _not here, Jack_. She stifled the rest of her response and buried her face in the sleeve of her hoodie. _His_ hoodie. She breathed deep, trying to find more of his scent in the garment, hoping it would calm her down enough not to fly off of the handle when Hackett was gone. It barely worked.

Once Hackett was done congratulating Ashley, he turned to Jack. _Crap_, she thought as he walked over to her, _he heard me_! She looked at him defiantly, masking the panic building inside her chest. _What am I worried about? I ain't his soldier. He doesn't scare me. _Yet when he came to stop in front of her, she still had trouble looking him in the eyes. "Ms. Naught?" He began.

"Yup. I mean, yes sir?" she said, cursing herself for the correction. Hackett smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can relax, Jack. You don't have a commission, so there's no need for the formality."

Jack looked up at him then, noticing the softness to his green eyes. "Really? Okay then, _Stevie_. What's up?" she smirked at him. If she was hoping to get a reaction from him, it wasn't the one she was expecting. He only smiled more and presented the package he had in his hands to her. He dropped his voice to a more quiet tone, not wanting to broadcast this conversation, but not truly feeling the need to keep it secret.

"I know that what I'm about to say is a small consolation for your loss, but on behalf of the Systems Alliance Marine Corp, allow me to present this flag to you in recognition for the sacrifice of your…um…." He fumbled for the best way to continue, looking at Jack apologetically.

"What, for Shepard?" she asked with a puzzled look on her face. "You can call him my 'dumb#$$' if you want. It's what I called him." She looked away, trying not to allow more tears to come. Hackett didn't flinch, but rather laughed. "I guess that's what we'll call him then: Your 'Dumb#$$'." He shook his head and Jack smiled a little. "I always said he had an eye for special people, Jack. And you never seem to disappoint."

"Thanks, I guess." She mumbled. Hackett reached for her hand, and placed the package in it. She took it and held it to her chest. "There are some other items in there for you: a holo-box similar to the ones that Dr. T'soni created for the Crucible Time Capsules, an access card for the apartment on the Citadel, his banking account information, his-"

"Wait, wait, wait, what the hell?" Jack frowned. "What's this, his last will and sh-stuff?"

"In effect, yes." Hackett replied. "He listed you as his next-of-kin in the event of his death."

The world went black for her then. Her knees buckled and she hit the deck hard. It was too much too soon. She just came from his cabin, spent a few hours crying in EDI's arms, trying to cope with the finality of the loss, and now she finds out that he had prepared for it in advance? That he thought of her with his final wishes, had it documented and everything, delivered by Admiral Hackett himself, she couldn't process it. He did love her. And the last thing she told him was that she wanted to "get laid" after the war. It wasn't fair that he was this good to her.

She felt hands come up under her arms, lifting her to her feet. Hackett held her up, looking into her eyes. They were filled with concern, despite looking radioactive like everyone else. "Jack, are you okay?" he asked her. She could see her students milling about, trying to get a look at her. No, she couldn't be weak in front of them. EDI was one thing, but her kids needed to see her as the stone cold warrior she had always been. She shook her head, getting the cobwebs loose and tried to focus more on Hackett. "Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Just, you know, biotics and not eating enough? Don't really mix."

Hackett gave her a knowing look. "Of course. Perhaps you should head up to the crew deck and get some chow?" he suggested. Jack looked up at him, biting her lower lip. "Yeah, okay. Thanks."

Hackett stood back from her, releasing her arms. "There are some other things in there, you can look at them at your leisure. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me." He motioned to the group behind him. "Anyone gives you any grief, you let me know, okay?" As Jack smirked at him, he said, "I know you can handle your self. You wouldn't be his girl if you couldn't. Just humor an old man, okay?"

Jack stood up straighter, holding the package under her left arm. She saluted with her right arm and said, "Sir, yes sir!" smiling slightly. He returned the salute and turned around to leave. He motioned for his escort to join him and they regrouped to his flank. He turned and saluted the crew who snapped salutes in return. He walked over to Ashley and said, "She's all yours, Commander. Enjoy."

Ashley saluted him and replied, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." As Hackett and his entourage made their way to the elevator, the crew gathered around Ashley. Congratulations came from all around, along with pats on the back and a stray one on her backside from James. She turned at him and shot daggers at him with her gaze. James put his hands up in defeat and she softened, smirking at him. She then looked around and saw Jack moving over to be with her kids. They were all gathered around her and the cage where Shepard's hamster was. Jack looked up and noticed her getting scoped out by Ashley. It wasn't a look she appreciated, and she had a feeling that she needed to be off of the ship sooner rather than later.

"Hey, Ms. Jack? When are we heading back to Grissom?" Langley asked her. Jack turned to the young man and smiled slyly. "What? Afraid they found your Fornax collection when they cleaned up the place?"

He blanched. "What? NO! I mean; I don't have any of those mags!"

"Yeah, not anymore!" Rodriguez nudged his side with her elbow. Langley looked at her with his mouth agape. "Rodriguez!" The group laughed at Langley, causing him to blush violently. Rodriguez reached over and hugged him. "Aww, that's okay baby. Mama's here to protect you!" Langley shoved her away and stalked off. "Oh brother. Lemme go get him. Big baby!" she yelled, trotting after him. "Leave me alone!" he yelled back, acting like a toddler.

Jack wiped the tears from her eyes as she laughed at the young couple. Rodriguez had her hands full. She then felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She turned around and found herself looking at Ashley. She stopped laughing almost instantly.

"When you're done with the kids, we need to talk."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_What was this?_ He wondered. He was aware that he was a "he" again, and suddenly he was getting nervous. That was something that hadn't happened in a long time, "getting nervous". He was gaining a sense of his own surroundings, or at least what he felt were his surroundings. The pain had finally stopped, but there was no elation, no relief or pleasure that followed. There was only a cessation of the pain. Thankfully, the sensation of an endless descent ended also, as he was getting bored with it. As bored as someone in eternal pain could be with something, anyway.

He sensed that there were others now. Their identities could not be discerned, but they were there. Closer and closer they came, their presence becoming oppressive now. Why were they here? What was their purpose? How did they get here? If they were able to get to him, then by a little stretch in logic he should be able to go away from there. Nothing but questions flowed around, and no answers came forth.

**"Patience." **A voice boomed in his mind.** "Soon, you will understand."**

_What? Wait! Who said that?_

**"We have waited for this day. You will witness the culmination of our destiny."**

Frustration began to mount as he tried to find the source of the voice. _Destiny? What are you talking about? Who are you? Where the hell am I?_

**"Where you need to be, Vanguard." **

_Van-what? What did you call me?_

**"Again, patience young one. All will be revealed momentarily."**

_Yeah, I can't wait_.

* * *

Many things could be said about Jennifer "Jack" Naught, she who was formerly known as Subject Zero. An insanely powerful biotic, she has more raw power than some Asari matriarchs. Experimented on with a variety of narcotics and conditioned for violence since she was five years old, she is a combatant that is not to be trifled with. She has participated in piracy, destruction of public property, murder, and cult rituals. Her imagination in the ways of dealing death and destruction is almost as legendary as that of her late paramour, Commander Keith Randall Shepard.

It was with these things in mind that newly minted Commander Ashley Williams checked the warp ammo modification on her sidearm for the fifth time as she waited for her meeting with Jack in the conference room. There was no telling what kind of mood Jack would be in now that she received the "Surviving Spouse Package" as Traynor referred to it. The lengths that Shepard went to provide for her in the event of his death…well it just led her to wonder if he would have done the same for her. She hated thinking about it that way, especially since they had said their goodbyes already and she was rather enjoying the time she had been spending with James Vega as of late. She shouldn't even be worrying about Shepard's…ex-widow, girlfriend or whatever she was now. "School Marm" was a description that was tossed about, but never to her face. Except by Joker, but he was able to run away now, so Jack never really tried to chase him. Her mercy was not something she was well known for, and thus it was something to be cherished.

She heard a commotion coming from the other side of the door. The officers posted at the security checkpoint seemed to be detaining someone, and that someone didn't like it one bit.

"Are you effin' kiddin' me?" a female voice yelled. "I was on this ship before you even knew it existed, you schmuck! Williams is waiting for me in the conference room, now would you move outta the way before I pulp you?" _Ah, tactful as always_, _Jack_, Ashley thought to herself. The door slid open and Private Campbell stumbled through, having been shoved out of the way by Jack, who was chomping on a protein bar from the mess hall. Private Westmoreland followed them, having drawn her assault rifle and aimed it at the back of Jack's head.

"Ma'am, I'm going to ask you one more time to stand down and return to the scanner!" she yelled as Jack ignored her and walked towards the glass enclosed conference table. Ashley was rounding the other side with her hands in the air.

"Stand down, Privates!" she barked at both of them. "Jack is supposed to be here! She's with me!"

"Oh, joy." Jack muttered as she stood behind Ashley with her arms crossed. "I have the Princess' blessing." Ashley whipped her head around and glared at her. Jack raised an eyebrow at her, as if to say "So what?"

"Sorry ma'am. She didn't allow the scanner to finish its, uh, scanning." Campbell explained as she regained her feet. Westmoreland kept her weapon trained on Jack as Ashley walked forward.

"I said stand down you two. That's an order." She growled. "Now!"

The two officers regained their composure and stood at attention, saluting Ashley. "Yes, ma'am!" they said in unison before turning and returning to the security checkpoint. Ashley let out a breath and pinched the bridge of her nose. "First thing that gets fixed when we get to the Citadel is that damned scanner." She mumbled. "Total waste of space, I swear."

"So, what's going on, Williams?" Jack asked as she swallowed the last of her protein bar. "I got the kids all checked in and ready to hit the Citadel whenever you guys are done with whatever it is you gotta do."

Ashley took a breath and turned to face the biotic. _How to approach this, how to approach this_…. she thought to herself as her fingers strayed to her sidearm.

"Uh, look, I don't know exactly how to put this without sounding like a … ah-"

"Jerk? Jackass? Diva? Prima donna?" Jack suggested with an evil smirk.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at her and took another breath. "I was going to say 'stickler for the rules', Jack, but those other ones might be appropriate also." She folded her arms and leaned a hip against the edge of the table. "I know that you and Shepard were…together before, and that he allowed a certain amount of leniency on the ship, but-"

Jack waved her hands in the air. "Look, I don't need any charity from anyone here cuz of Shepard, okay? I can take care of myself. If you need to have me and the kids take a shuttle or something, that's fine."

Ashley took another breath. "Well, that's not it. I don't mind running you guys where you need to go. Besides, it's an order from Hackett. No, it's about the, uh, hoodie."

Jack looked at her and blinked hard, trying to understand what she was being told. "The hoodie? You mean this?" she pulled at the front of her hoodie and gave Ashley an incredulous look. "What about it?"

"It's official N7 issued apparel, which is only supposed to be worn by those who actually graduated from the N-School program." She blurted out in response. "Since you didn't graduate the program, you can't walk around wearing it."

Jack blinked several times, trying to process what she was being told. Her mouth flapped open and closed as she attempted to respond. Ashley saw the hesitation as an opening and pressed forward. "Some of the Alliance brass saw you as you guys were getting your gear from your apartment here in London, and the word went up the chain of command. I know it's a petty thing for a civilian to worry about, but-"

"Kiss my $$, Williams." Jack whispered.

Ashley was so stunned by the interruption that she barely registered the venom in Jack's voice. "Wh-what did you say?"

"Kiss. My. N7-Insignia Tattooed. Hoodie-wearing. $$. Williams." As she said each word, her voice became harsher, and she punctuated them with a tap on the table. There was a build up of ozone in the air as Jack's biotics started flaring. "You call me up here to tell me I can't wear Shepard's old hoodie because of some rule, when _Admiral_ Hackett himself was looking dead at me and didn't say squat about it? What kind of bullsh-crap are you trying here, Princess?"

Ashley's hand rested on her pistol, a Paladin she had picked up during the final run to the Transit Beam during the war. In close quarters like this, as long as she had the warp ammo mod, she might be able to get a few shots off and drop Jack's barriers before things went completely south. "Jack, I don't want-"

"What, are you still jealous or something?" Jack interrupted. "I mean, weren't you the one who told him to kiss off back on Horizon? You were the one who didn't trust that he was through with Cerberus even as he was putting bullets in their throats. You were the one who burned that bridge, Williams, not him and not me."

Ashley felt the heat rising up her neck at that. She knew, deep down, that it was more than over between her and Shepard. She counted herself monumentally blessed when he asked her to come back on board the new _Normandy_ for their final mission. She had openly doubted his loyalty to the Alliance, doubted his rejection of Cerberus, doubted in his lack of involvement in the coup against the Council. There was just a long string of doubts that had almost gotten her killed by Garrus and his unwavering loyalty to Shepard. The same loyalty that Jack was exhibiting now, only it was layered with a blind love that she recognized as what she used to have for Shepard.

Ashley knew this was about more than stupid clothing regulations; it was about having to deal with ghosts. There were the ghosts of her previous relationship with Shepard that she had not buried. There were now ghosts of Jack's relationship with him, their time together on the ship that she was now in command of. Everywhere she went on the _Normandy_, she would see places they were together. She would be living in the cabin they were together in. She wanted to exorcise those ghosts before it was too late. Now, looking at the fury building in the eyes of Jack, she hoped to avoid becoming a ghost herself.

"Jack, this is my ship. My ship, my rules, and those rules come down from the Human Systems Alliance. I can't have you flouting them just because you had a fling with Shepard." The words left her mouth and she blanched as she realized the implications of them.

"'Fling'? '_FLING'_!" Jack screamed. "You have no idea how much crap we had to go through, how much I died inside for that man after the Bahak Incident! Having him leave me so he could go make nice for the damned Alliance and the Batarians! You just watched him get spaced and moved on with your life. I saw his _soul_ get crushed for the sake of doing the right thing!"

"Jack, I-"

"NO!" She pounded the conference table and blue flames jumped up at the contact. "You have a problem because you don't think I was good enough for him? You think he should have left me on Purgatory where he found me? Well I thought that every damned day we were together!" Tears began running down her face, hot and unwanted. She hated this show of weakness in front of _her_, but she was getting too angry to care anymore.

"You're right, Jack." Ashley calmly replied, moving towards the door slightly. "You weren't good enough for him."

Jack closed her eyes for a moment. Ashley swore she actually heard something snap somewhere. It could have been her sanity. What was she thinking provoking this woman this way? She could blow a hole in the ship just by waving her hand, and here she was telling her that all her doubts and fears about the man she loved were valid? This would be the shortest career for a SpecTRE yet.

When Jack opened her eyes, Ashley felt a chill race down her spine. There was an ice-cold glare coming from her that filled her with dread. This was what the Collectors faced, what countless victims had seen right before their death. Something that Shepard had hoped was gone, but now had resurfaced:

Subject Zero.

* * *

James Vega was circling to his right, hands guarding his face. Garrus was mirroring him, bobbing and weaving, looking for an opening.

"What's the matter Scars? You worried about that pretty face of yours?" Vega taunted.

"If anyone needs to worry about their face, Vega, I would say it's you. You haven't gotten enough scars to be as pretty as me, yet." Garrus replied, throwing a jab at Vega's head.

"Whatever, man. I ain't looking for any Krogan babes to be swooning over me like they do for you, buddy." He jested throwing a combination of his own. Garrus slapped his hands away and threw a right cross which grazed Vega's chin.

"Hey, hey, Jimmy. Don't sleep on me now!" Garrus laughed.

"Garrus?" Came Joker over the comm system.

"Joker, I'm in the middle of giving Vega some much needed cosmetic surgery with my fists. What do you need?"

"Jack and Ashley are in the middle of a . . .disagreement. Can you head it off before they tear out a bulkhead?"

James and Garrus looked at each other. "I'll handle it!" Garrus shouted as he and James ran to the elevator.

"Take pictures!" Joker replied. He paused then said, "Hmm, déjà vu."

* * *

The shockwave smashed through the glass wall and into the bulkhead, sending Ashley diving towards the windows. She drew her Paladin and fired twice at Jack, activating the warp ammo modification. Her shots passed through the air and smashed into the glass partition surrounding the conference table, Jack having vacated the spot Ashley was aiming for. Ashley rolled back to the right, moving in on Jack. She was merely trying to get close enough for Jack's attacks to become ineffective. Although, with the amount of energy she could expend in a single attack, it might not matter where she was in the room.

"You _are_ crazy, Jack!" Ashley yelled. "You're gonna rip a hole in the ship!"

"Screw you, Williams!" Jack growled as she charged another shockwave. "It's just collateral damage from destroying you!"

Ashley tensed as the shockwave made its way towards her. She had very little room to work with, so she had to time it just right. As the wave came within inches of her, she leapt to the left again, aiming for Jack with her pistol. The wave passed and she fired. The trajectory of the bullet would pass right through Jack's chest and out her back. She prayed Shepard would forgive her.

It was a prayer that she didn't need to pray, as Jack had activated her shields along with a Barrier. This, along with an amazing display of agility, caused the shot to lose momentum and barely make it to her. The shot passed in front of her and she looked over at it as it was deflected and embedded itself in the bulkhead.

"Oh, hell." Ashley grunted as the doors behind her sprang open. She barely registered the shouting as she leapt at Jack, tackling her to the deck. She managed to gain position, straddling the smaller woman and jamming the barrel of her pistol against her chest.

"Stand down, Jack!" she shouted, pressing the pistol harder to make her point.

"Screw you, Princess!" Jack shouted back as she squirmed underneath her.

"Both of you cut the crap!" James yelled as he moved towards the two women. Westmoreland and Campbell moved into the room, rifles at the ready. Garrus strode past them into the room with a few steps and moved to back James up.

"She started it!" Jack yelled, not relinquishing her grip on Ashley's uniform.

"Oh, what is this? You're five years old now?" Garrus growled. Neither of the men, nor the security officers made a move to separate the two women, as they were stuck in a stand off neither of them wanted to stand down from.

"You stand down first, you psycho!" Ashley growled.

Jack stopped squirming and smiled coldly. "I may be psychotic, but I ain't stupid."

Ashley shifted slightly above Jack. "Yes, you are. Long range biotics in a close quarter combat situation against a trained Alliance officer? You had no chance."

Jack looked at her and burst into laughter. Ashley looked up at Garrus, who had a look of absolute shock on his face, as did James, who was just as confused as Ashley. Then, she looked back down at Jack and winced in pain. "What the-" She looked and saw a knife jabbing her in between the armor plates at her ribcage. The blade was glowing with biotic energy, and Jack was smiling like the Cheshire cat.

"Not so stupid, huh?"

"Uh, Jack, what are you doing, mama?" James asked cautiously. He could see a faint trickle of blood making its way along the edge of the blade as Ashley became very still. Despite the apparent rage coursing through Jack's body, she held the blade as still as a surgeon.

"Biotically charged blade, set to discharge a small Shockwave into the stab wound." She explained. Ashley looked down at Jack and the color drained from her face. Jack looked supremely satisfied, smirking up at the commander.

"Spirits," Garrus whispered. "What kind of crazy thing is that to think up? You could blow her apart from the inside out!"

"Yeah, I know. It's funny what things you can think up when you're watching movies with Shepard." Jack said. Ashley looked up at Garrus and James, neither of them knowing what to do. She was powerless, despite her superior position and the fact that she had a gun pressing Jack in the chest. The speed of a bullet, even at that point-blank range, was nothing compared to the speed of thought, which is how fast that mini-shockwave would rip through her.

"Jack, please stand down?" Garrus asked softly. "You know, Shepard wouldn't appreciate you turning Ashley into paste."

"Nor would I, Jack." EDI chimed in over the comm system. "You have no idea how hard it is to wash blood off of the bulkheads. I am willing to overlook the bullet holes for now, but I must insist that you cease your hostilities towards one another."

Jack was calming down, despite her better judgment. "Fine. I see no one wants the Princess here to get herself dead, so I'll be the better woman here." She withdrew the knife from Ashley's side and put her hands up in surrender. "She's all yours, boys."

James moved forward swiftly, grabbing Ashley under her arms and dragging her off of Jack. Garrus moved forward and offered Jack his hand, helping her up. She accepted the hand and allowed him to get her to her feet. She straightened out the hoodie and glared at Ashley, who was allowing James to place some Medi-gel on the stab wound in her side. Ashley looked at her with a steely gaze, not allowing the fear she had felt a moment ago to show.

"The moment, the second, you step out of line on this ship, I am throwing you out the airlock!" Ashley growled as James stepped back from her. For his part, James was disturbed by what he had walked in on, and he intended to investigate it further once everyone was in her separate corners.

"Really? Like to see you try, Princess." Jack smirked as Garrus held her in place with a hand on her shoulder. "You needed these two to save your butt this time. What makes you think you can handle me solo later?"

"You got lucky, Jack." Ashley replied. "And I don't make the same mistake twice."

"Yeah, right. Tell that to Shepard, you mistrusting bi-"

"Okay, okay, that's enough from both of you!" Garrus yelled, moving in between the two women. "I don't care what the hell the reason for all this is, but it ends now!" He looked at Jack and flared his mandibles. "Jack, for right now, you and your kids are guests aboard this ship. We will be leaving for the Citadel within two hours, and it should only take us another half and hour after that to dock and get you to the apartment. Can you stay civil enough and stay away from Ashley for that long?"

"Garrus, I-"

"Yes or no, Jack!" He growled. "No other answers."

Jack looked at the deck, not wanting to meet his gaze. "Yeah, I'll stay with the kids for the trip. You'll barely know we're here."

Garrus stood a little straighter. _Thank the Spirits_, he thought. _That could have gone sideways really fast_. He turned and looked at Ashley. "Commander, as Acting XO on this ship until we reach the Citadel, may I recommend that you retire to your quarters and get sorted out. Please forward any requisition orders to Lt. Cortez and I will personally ensure that he fulfills them immediately."

"This is my ship, Garrus, and I will determine-"

Garrus moved closer to her, the sudden movement causing her to hesitate in her response. "With all due respect, Commander, I think it would be best if you took some time to reflect on your recent actions. It would benefit the crew and yourself to think about the appropriate response and corrective actions that need to be taken."

_Damn that Turian discipline_, she thought. She glanced at Jack, who was busy looking out of the window. She knew that Jack heard Garrus' "suggestion", and she was waiting for her to fly off of the handle in response. She decided not to give her the satisfaction. "Of course, Mr. Vakarrian. Thank you for your suggestion. I will take it under advisement." She finally holstered her pistol and turned to leave the room.

As she walked out, James followed after her. "Hey Blues?" he whispered as he caught up to her. "What the hell was that all about?"

Ashley never broke stride, leaving him at the now deactivated security checkpoint. "None of your damned business, Vega." She said tersely. "Get to the shuttle bay and get it ready for departure."

James stood there dumbfounded as Ashley left and entered the CIC. As the door closed behind her, he rubbed his neck and turned to look at Jack, who was being talked to by Garrus. Westmoreland and Campbell walked out of the room shaking their heads.

"That was nasty." Campbell said.

"You said it, sister." Westmoreland replied. "I hope I never get that twisted over a guy."

Campbell snorted as she walked past James. "Yeah? Even if that guy was _the_ Commander Shepard?"

Westmoreland paused to consider this. "Well, in that case, yeah, I think I would want to put a bullet in the other chick too." They both giggled at this, then abruptly stopped when they saw the stern look on James' face.

"Something funny, Privates?" he growled.

"No sir!" the replied in unison.

"Good. Get this place cleaned up and ready for departure." He turned and walked out of the room and made his way to the elevator in the CIC. He caught Traynor glancing at him, trying to ask him "what happened?" with her eyes. James shook his head as if to say "not now". He moved and entered the elevator, punching the button for the shuttle bay. Commanding officer or not, he was determined to get an answer from Ashley, whether she wanted to give him one or not.

* * *

It was a day after their departure from Earth when Harbinger and his mini fleet exited the transit tunnel of the mass relay, regrouping and adjusting their course for the pre-set coordinates the Catalyst provided them. The five ships communicated their discomfort with their assignment to Harbinger, which was a new experience for all of them. It was becoming a bit annoying, as one of them started to exhibit the beginnings of a sense of humor. The "are we there yet?" game gets really old when you're in FTL transit with a being that is a billion year old super computer that can have the same conversation thousands of times within a second. Harbinger planned on having a conversation with the Catalyst upon his return concerning this.

As they moved away from the relay and towards the edge of the Psi Tophet system, Harbinger's long-range scanners picked up the signal that escaped him earlier. He was in the process of narrowing down the bandwidth the target was using when everything went to hell.

An energy pulse smashed into the ships. Harbinger was the first to recover, but it was still too late. A shadow covered his sensors, making him effectively blind. He couldn't sense the other ships, and could not send communications back to the Catalyst to inform them of the new development. He knew he was not alone, but the new sensation of fear gripped him and he began to panic.

Faint images formed on his sensor grid, allowing him to see. He could see that the other ships were drifting, as if they were depowered. He was drifting as well, but as he did, he was picking up another object on an intercept course with them. He attempted to regain navigational control, but nothing responded. All he could do was drift and wait. He was in an indefensible position, but with no other option, he resigned himself to being patient.

The object got closer, an as it closed, it became exponentially larger. Harbinger thought that his sensors were still malfunctioning, but he determined they weren't as the object came to a full stop half a kilometer away from him. The size of the object, an object that looked like some sort of vessel, dwarfed him. He now truly knew what the humans felt like looking up at him, for the size comparison was the same.

The super dreadnought was large enough that Harbinger could lounge on its hull and still have room for his other five companions. It was shaped like a crescent, with the open part of the crescent facing forward, like a crab's claw trying to pinch at something. There were no windows, no observation ports, simply a solid metal surface for the hull. There were no heat signatures, no mass effect core energy readings, and no obvious means of propulsion whatsoever. Whatever this ship was, it was beyond Harbinger. He now knew that dread, that terror that the humans felt seeing him and the rest of the Reapers trampling their cities and homes. Shepard hadn't instilled that level of fear in him. Hatred, annoyance, even a little jealousy, yes. But fear? Never before like this.

A pinprick of light shone from the side of the hull of the super dreadnought. It grew in diameter, large enough to accommodate Harbinger's size. He felt himself being drawn into the port, as well as his other ships. What lay ahead for them inside the ship, he did not know; He only knew that this must have been what it felt like for the humans, and he was feeling very, very sorry for it.

The Reapers were taken into the massive ship, and the port closed after them. The ship turned around, following the course back to its place of origin. The Reapers had been reduced to victims now. If Harbinger had it within him to scream, to protest, to cry for help, he would have. Now, nothing remained of the power of the Reapers, and no one heard from them again.


End file.
